


Come Back to Me

by thenakednymph



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Feelings, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Hair Pulling, Happy ending in part two, Hurt/Comfort, I still don’t do character death, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Language, M/M, Misleading, Sacrifice, don’t panic, gratuitous abuse of cryo pods, guilty keith, lance does survive, minor bdsm undertones, scared keith, that’s just mean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-23 11:51:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18549214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenakednymph/pseuds/thenakednymph
Summary: Keith has been brainwashed by Haggar and Lance will do whatever it takes to bring him back.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ THE TAGS
> 
> Remember all those fun theories we had flying around about brainwashed Keith and Lance getting to fight with his broadsword? Yeah it’s that.

“Who are you?”

Lance is struck by the irony of the question, of the moment; is reminded of the time they were rescuing Shiro all those years ago. It feels like a lifetime has passed since then. 

If he weren't so terrified Lance would laugh. But this time there's no mild curiosity in Keith's eyes, no searching look as he tries to remember where he knows Lance. There's nothing in his eyes but rage.

Keith turns to him slowly, his luxite sword in one hand, a knife in the other. 

Lance's bayard is already out and he shifts it from the rifle to the Altean broadsword he's been practicing with. 

“Come on Keith,” he says carefully taking a cautious step to the side as he and Keith begin to circle each other. “It's me.” 

Keith ignores him, watching Lance, cataloging his movements and when Lance crosses one foot in front of the other, he strikes. He comes at Lance lightning fast, harrying him under a flurry of blows that has Lance reeling backwards, desperate to block. 

He holds his own better than he'd expected, his body reacting mostly on instinct from hours of practice, some of it with Keith, and he's grateful for the endless hours he's spent running through exercises. 

It's not enough. Keith's blades strike and slip from Lance’s armor, darting in and out to cut him repeatedly and he stings all over. He can hear the dull patter of blood against the ground, the dry rasp in his throat as he gasps for breath. His armor feels too tight, his hands shaking around the sword Keith taught him to use.

There’s a predatory gleam in Keith’s eyes and Lance is reminded of a time he’d watched his cousin's cat play with a mouse before finally snapping its neck and he goes cold. Keith is toying with him.

Lance places himself between Keith and the door, his hands flexing around the sword.

His arms and legs burn with exertion and he's breathing heavily, sweat beginning to collect inside his suit. His entire body stings.

“Guess you're gonna have to kill me,” he teases, his heart rabbiting in his chest. “Because I'm not letting you leave. I'm not letting you go back to her.” He risks shifting his bayard back to the rifle, forcing some distance between Keith and himself and manages to briefly gain some more breathing room. 

Keith smiles at him and it's all teeth. 

Lance shifts back to the broadsword at the last moment, barely managing to catch Keith's sword as he lunges and the two blades scrape along one another with a scream. He manages to just dance sideways out of the range of Keith's flashing knife as it makes a darting stab for his side. 

If Allura can't find and kill Haggar to break whatever spell Keith is under or Lance can’t get through to him, he’s going to die. He can’t match Keith in a fair fight. He’s lucky to have lasted this long.

He dances back out of range and Keith grins, his eyes flashing as he pulls his arm back and brings it down hard. 

The impact knocks Lance's broadsword out of his hand and it goes skittering across the floor leaving Lance naked and exposed.

Lance lets it happen. He knows what's coming, can see it before it happens and like letting Keith disarm him, he lets it. He could call the bayard back but he doesn't. He could block or dodge but he doesn’t. 

Keith's hand with the knife swings at him and Lance steps into the blow, knocking Keith's hand aside with his forearm, the dagger slipping from his fingers at the impact to his wrist and skittering across the floor to join Lance’s bayard. The maneuver leaves Lance’s torso open like Lance knew it would and he sees the moment Keith spots the opening. Everything slips into slow motion.

Keith’s eyes flick to Lance’s and he bares his teeth in a feral snarl like he’s won. Maybe he has. Pulling his luxite blade back Keith drives it forward. 

Lance catches a deep breath and makes a grab for Keith’s wrist, stepping into the blow. He feels the pressure more than the pain as his fingers lock around Keith’s wrist, his other hand catching the back of Keith's neck, their foreheads pressed together as Lance drives the blade deeper into his body in favor of being close to Keith. He doesn't break eye contact.

“Come back to me,” he breathes through the pressure building up under his lungs. “Please.” His grip on Keith's hand goes slick and he knows it's blood. His breathing turns ragged. 

“I let you walk away from me twice and didn't do a damn thing to stop you.” He shakes his head, his hair tangling with Keith's against his forehead, tears in his eyes. “I'm not leaving here without you.”

Lance feels the sword twist inside him and gasps. Keith smiles, turning his head to whisper into Lance’s ear. 

“I'm going to kill you,” he murmurs and Lance smiles, leaning into Keith's touch, brushing their cheeks together and cradling Keith against him, knowing he’s saying goodbye.

“I know.” He lets his fingers play with the strands of hair at Keith's neck. He wants so badly to kiss him. “It's okay.” He lets his hand slide until it’s cradling Keith’s cheek and pulls back far enough to see his eyes. “It’s okay,” he repeats, smiling wryly. “Dying’s not so bad.” 

Something in Keith's eyes flickers and Lance feels a surge of hope, his grip on Keith tightening.

He's too high on adrenaline to feel the pain as he tightens his hand around Keith's wrist where he holds the sword, buried to the hilt in Lance's abdomen, stopping him from pulling the blade free so he can bleed to death. 

He's chest to chest with Keith, staring straight into his eyes and he tightens his grip, holding Keith in place. 

“Come on Keith,” he hisses, a determination in his eyes as his legs begin to shake.  His eyes dart back and forth between Keith's. “I know you're in there. I can  _ see _ it.” His hand slips back to Keith’s neck and flexes, a parody of intimacy.

The rabid hatred in Keith's eyes wavers again and he's frozen in Lance's grasp, like he wasn’t expecting that. Either Allura has found Haggar and her spell is weakening or Lance’s tactic is actually working. 

His hand is still wrapped around the pommel of his sword like he's afraid to pull it out.

“Fight,” Lance hisses, his expression beginning to wobble as tears fill his eyes, the pain begins to make itself known through the adrenaline. “At least let me die for  _ something _ ,” he murmurs. A bead of sweat slips down his temple.

Lance doesn't know what he was thinking, just knows that he can't leave Keith behind. Not again. Keith is worth fighting for and Lance never got a chance to tell him that. He's bringing him back or he's going to die trying. 

He tries pulls a deep breath but the pressure in his abdomen is building and it’s hard to catch his breath. He’s getting dizzy.

Sweat slicks his temples and along his scalp, making him itch and he has to blink to clear his vision. He winces, hands beginning to shake. 

“I'm not letting you get away again.” He grits his teeth against the pain and locks his knees to stay upright, clinging to Keith for balance. 

His forehead tips forward as he struggles to breathe, taking a moment to adjust to the sensation of being run through. All he wants is to kiss him.

“Please,” he whispers, his breathing shallow as he leans into Keith. “Please don’t let me be too late. I love you.” He whispers the confession against Keith’s lips and his heart breaks when there’s no response.

He pulls away, a wry smile tugging at his mouth as he begins to slip, tears sliding down his face. “This better work because I swear if you kill me…” He doesn't finish the threat but the smile doesn't fall and something sickeningly like fondness crosses his face, laughter in his voice. 

His legs give out and Lance begins to sink, feeling the sword twist inside him,catching up under his ribs as he falls and he wants to yell, expecting more pain, but it just feels strange. 

Keith follows him down, one hand on the sword, the other somehow finding its way to the back of Lance's head, cradling it to keep him from bouncing it off the floor. He ends up half lying in Keith’s lap, the tip of the sword pressing into the floor as Keith hovers over him, their eyes locked.

Lance can't tell if he's searching for something familiar or just waiting to see the moment the light leaves his eyes. 

“What a way to go huh?” Lance’s voice comes out weak and he winces as the sword inside him shifts. His insides have to be in ribbons by now. “At least I get to go while looking at you,” he teases. He brushes a lock of hair out of Keith's face, streaking his cheek with blood. It falls back again, hiding his face and Lance thinks it's a shame to hide a face like that. He can’t help crying but he tries to smile anyway. 

“Still the prettiest thing I've ever seen.” His voice is thin, weak, but sincere. “God I hope you’re in there.”

Unable to hold his head up any longer he lets it thunk back to the floor. “Stars I wish I'd told you that sooner.” He pants shallowly, clutching at the blade, the hand against the side of Keith's face hitting the floor. 

It hadn't worked. Lance knows his blood pressure is dropping, knows he's dying and his heart breaks. If he's going to die he might as well go all the way. He blinks his eyes open and realizes Keith is hovering over him, his eyes still wide and searching. 

Lance smiles up at him. “I love you.” Did he say that already? “It’s okay.”

Black spots his vision no matter how hard he tries to blink it away and his limbs feel numb. He wants to touch Keith but his arms lie on the floor with a twitch. 

Everything feels far away and distant and he barely hears the strained sound of his name from somewhere overhead. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uuuuhhhh...minor bdsm tones??? Sorry????  
> I hope this isn’t terrible.

When Lance stumbles out of the healing pod he’s nearly knocked back into it again when Allura gives him a hard slap. He reels, stumbling backwards before she’s pulling him into her arms and crying.

 “Ow! What the hell!?” He cradles his cheek in surprised pain, suddenly wide awake.

“Allura!” Shiro stares at the two of them in wide eyed surprise but Pidge smacks a hand across his stomach before he can stride forward.

“No no. If she hadn’t done it, I would have.” They crane their head back to look at Shiro. “And you can’t tell me he doesn’t deserve it for pulling that stunt.”

Shiro sighs but doesn’t say anything.

Allura finally lets Lance go but pinches his arm sharply and scowls.

“Ow!” Lance cradles his arm and looks at her in betrayal. “Seriously?”

 “You scared me,” she scolds, wagging her finger at him. “Never do something like that again, do you hear me? We had a plan!”

“And I was going to die anyway,” Lance snaps back. “What did you expect me to do? I can’t bring a gun to a knife fight with Keith, I will actually lose.”

Allura frowns but Pidge snorts. “Probably the only situation where that’s true,” they mumble.

Lance glances around the room and spots Keith sitting in a corner in the back and scowling. Lance hadn’t expected him to be there.

“Keith…” Keith’s expression darkens and he stands, glaring at Lance before exiting the room. They all share a look.

“What happened?”

“Well,” Hunk says slowly, “Allura got into an alchemy fight with Haggar and won.”

“She kicked her ass you mean,” Pidge says proudly, crossing their arms. Shiro frowns.

 “Language,” he reprimands and Pidge rolls their eyes.

Hunk nods. “Keith snapped out of whatever spell she had him under and dragged your ass back to Red where you nearly bled out because hey, you had a sword in your abdomen.” He actually glares at Lance, full on glares and Lance winces, his hand going reflexively to his stomach.

“Thankfully he got you back to the castle in time,” Allura says, picking up the story, “and we were able to stabilize you before we put you in a pod.”

“How long was I in?”

“Two days,” Shiro supplies and Lance nods.

“How mad is he?” he asks softly, one hand still on Allura’s arm. Shiro’s expression tells him all he needs to know. “I need to talk to him.”

“Oh no you don’t.” Allura catches him before he can go anywhere. “You are going right to bed where you belong. You and Keith can have a heart to heart after you’ve had some real sleep and some decent food.”

Lance wants to argue but he still feels weak so he lets Allura tuck him into bed and fuss over him. For a moment she reminds him so forcefully of his mother his heart aches.

“Get some sleep. We’ll see you in the morning.” She kisses his forehead and Lance flushes under the attention.

“Yeah, I’ll be back later with something for you to eat,” Hunk says and Lance nods, already feeling the cold numbness settling in his joints from the pod.

“Thanks buddy.” He curls up under the blankets and drops off to sleep. Or at least pretends to. He needs sleep, he knows that, can feel the exhaustion in his body but he really needs to talk to Keith. And the suits they have to wear in the pods are really uncomfortable.

Once everyone has left and he’s sure they aren’t going to come back any time soon, he changes into a loose pair of sweats and an oversized shirt before padding down the hall to Keith’s room, knocking gently on the door.

“What?” Keith snaps and Lance takes that as permission to open the door. He presses his hand to the panel and the door slides open. Keith has his back to Lance, his back bare as he tosses his shirt aside.

“What Shiro? I’m not-” He turns around and stops short, just staring at Lance.

Lance tugs nervously on his fingers and waves awkwardly. “Not Shiro,” he says, voice lilting. He bites his lip, stepping hesitantly into the room, the door closing behind him. He can’t help feeling trapped.

Keith scowls and storms across the room, stabbing his finger into Lance’s chest. “What were you thinking?” he demands. “I could have killed you. I nearly did!”

“Yeah but you didn’t.” Lance grins and something in Keith’s face shatters.

“Do you have any idea…” He swallows thickly, taking a step back and running both hands over his face. “I nearly killed you Lance. I nearly _killed_ you.” Something in his voice sounds terribly broken and Keith sits heavily on the bed looking as exhausted as Lance feels.

“You nearly bled out,” he says and his voice is flat. “I barely got you back in time for Coran and Allura to stabilize you and put you into a pod.” He puts his face in his hands again.

“I can’t stop...seeing you,” he chokes out. “There was blood everywhere. I can’t stop,” his face twists “ _feeling_ what it was like to drive that sword through you, feeling that hate, the desire to kill.” He looks so broken Lance crosses the room, desperate to comfort.

“Hey, I’m right here. I’m here Keith.” He catches Keith’s hands, pulling them away from his face.

“You don’t get it.” Keith snaps, yanking his hands free and standing. “I nearly _killed_ you!” There’s something broken and wild in his eyes and Lance cradles his face in his hands forcing him to look at him.

“You didn’t.”

“Do you know what that would have done to me?” He’s in tears and Lance doesn’t know why but he kisses him.

“I’m sorry. God I’m sorry, I didn’t-” He pulls Keith into a hug, one he leans heavily into as Lance strokes a hand down his back. Keith clings to him, his breathing jagged and he holds Lance like he can’t believe he’s real.

“I could have killed you,” he whispers and Lance pulls back, taking Keith’s hand and placing it over his chest, his heart racing.

“Stop, stop.” He presses Keith’s hand firmly to his chest. “I’m still alive.”

Tears spill down Keith’s cheeks and he can’t look away from Lance’s eyes.

“You almost died.”

Frustrated Lance yanks Keith’s hands away, pulling up his shirt and slapping it over the gnarled scar that stretches up his abdomen.

“Yes, okay, yes,” he snaps. “You nearly killed me and I stepped into it willingly. It was worth it. I don’t know if it was Allura or me that brought you back and I don’t care because it was worth it. I’d do it again.”

Keith yanks his hand out from under Lance’s and backs away. “Please don’t say that.”

“I love you. And I would have rather died than leave you there.”

“I’m not worth that.”

“You are.” He steps up into Keith’s space. “I didn’t mean for that to hurt you and I’m sorry it did. Hurting you is the last thing I wanted.” One hand slides along Keith’s neck and he melts into the touch.

Lance presses his cheek to Keith hair, whispering into his ear. “Please don’t run away from me. I’m right here.” Keith sags into him and Lance wraps his arms around him.

“I hate you,” he whispers into Lance's shoulder. “I hate you.” His fingers curl into Lance's shirt, his grip so tight it hurts.

“You make me so damn _weak._ ” Lance just holds him as Keith trembles. He pulls far enough away to look at Lance. “I hate how much I care about you.”

Lance brushes back the hair from Keith's face, stroking his cheek. “I know.” He rests their foreheads together, swaying gently. He kisses Keith’s forehead. “I know.”

Keith reaches up, sliding his fingers through Lance's hair, slowly making a fist. Lance gasps in pain before Keith is kissing him. He’s weak under the force of it, Keith kissing him like the world is burning and Lance is turning to cinders under him. His knees tremble and he bends into Keith as their tongues slide together, heart racing.

Keith breaks the kiss and Lance can still feel the anger in him. “Don't you ever do that to me again,” he growls, Lance's head still craned back, his throat exposed. He's panting shallowly.

“Do you understand?” His grip tightens and Lance winces.

“Yes,” he gasps and Keith sinks his teeth into the side of Lance's throat, sucking a bruising kiss there, blurring the line between pleasure and pain. His grip loosens and Lance slowly drops his chin, still breathing heavily and Keith smooths a hand over Lance's hair in apology, soothing the bruise on Lance’s throat with his tongue. Lance presses his cheek to Keith’s, whispering in his ear, low and breathy.

“You do that again...and I'm going to fuck you.” His voice is raw, thick with lust.

Keith's body has gone weak against him, his head resting against Lance's shoulder and he shivers. He slides his hands down around Lance's waist, just holding him.

“Maybe tomorrow. Right now I just want to hold you.”

Lance's heart stops for a moment before kicking hard inside his chest.

“Okay.” He nods. “But do you mind if we lay down? I really need some sleep.” Keith nods against him but it takes him a moment to pull away, leading Lance to the bed. He pulls him down onto the mattress, rolling them until Lance is lying half on top of him and kisses his cheek.

“Go to sleep.”

Lance tucks his face against Keith's neck and does, Keith's hand stroking up and down Lance's back.


End file.
